Expander tool



Feb.V 13, 1940.

A. J. SCHOLTES EXPANDER TOOL Filed Nov. 1, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. J. SCHOLTES EXPANDER TOOL Feb. 13, 1940.

Filed NOV. 1, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lim..

Patented Feb. 13, 1940 PATENT OFFICE EXPANDER TOOL Albert J. Scholtes, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Scovill Manufacturing Company, Waterbury,v Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application November 1, 1938, Serial No. 238,275

The present invention relates to a tool for expending grooves in tubes, hose coupling nipples and the lilre.V a 1 The purpose of this invention is to provide I means for retaining the expander ball or balls in the one or more radial openings in the mandrel of the tool. This admits oi the carrying, conveniently, oi the expander tool in a tool box for easy access without the necessity oi exercising 16 undue care, and without the liability of loss of the balls, in handling and transporting the tool.

rAnother object of the invention is toprovide a relatively small, light weight and compact-tool so constructed as to possess the required strength.

1l and which has the tube deforming elements so disposed as to offset unequal expansion or distortion of the tube itself during the grooving of the tube.

A further object of this invention is to improve and make practical the type of expander exempliiled in the patent to Hoyer No. 568,574A granted September 29, 1896.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to v like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an expander tool embodying the features of this invention, the tool being ready for insertion in a hose coupling shown.

Figure 2 is a similar view but with the tool disposed in the coupling prior to the expanding operation, the coupling being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a transverse -section taken through the same on the line 3'3 of Figure 2.v`

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but wherein the expanding operation has been carried out to at least a partial extent.

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken through the same on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective .view of the expander tool'with the parts partly separated from one taken through the same on the line I0|0 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view in perspective of the side wall of the mandrel of the tool. showing the retaining spring in its 5 groove and the latter-intersecting the ball opening, and

Figure l2 is a detail sectional enlarged view of the wall of the mandrel, showing a slight modiiication of the spring groove in the wall.

Referring now to the drawings, and iirst to' Figures 6 to 1l, the tool has a hollow mandrel or shaft 25 adapted for insertion in the tube or nipple to be expanded or beaded. The mandrel 25 is open at opposite ends and at one end has an 15 enlarged head or nut 26 serving to turn the mandrel in the tube and to determine the distance of insertion of the mandrel in the tube.

The mandrel 25 has two pairs oi axially spaced apart openings 21 and 28-through its side walls, 20 the openings of each pair being diametrically opposed and the axis of the openings 21 being at right angles to the axis of the openings 28. The openings 21 and 28 are thus disposed in staggered relation substantially ninety degrees apart around 25 n the mandrel. Each opening 21 and 28 provides a socket for a ball 29 adapted to slide radially through the wall of the mandrel 25.

The mandrel 25 has a core pin30 iitting for axial sliding and turning movements in the man- 30 drei. One end of the core pin 30 has an enlarged nut head 3i and has a threaded portion 32 adjacent the head 3| and which has threaded enagement in the mandrel head25 so' as to move the core pin 30 lengthwise in the mandrel 25 35 when turned therein. The nut head 3l also has the function of limiting the advancement of the core pin 30 through the mandrel by abutting the nut 26 of the latter. Withdrawal of the core pin 30 through the mandrel 25 is limited by a stop o washer 33 removably secured against the free end of the core pin 30 by a headed screw 34 or the like.

The core pin 30 is provided with an axial cam 35 for each pair of balls 29. The cams are in the 45 form of cones axially spaced apart a distance equal to the space between the pairs of openings 21 and 28 and have an intermediate shoulder 36 betweenthenu The apices of the cams 35 merge into stems 31 which iiare into the adjacent shoul- 50 der 36 and the end portion of the core pin and provide annular recesses in the core pin 3l) with rounded bottom walls forming bottoms for the socket openings 21 and 28 of the mandrel. When in normal position ready for use, as shown in Fign ure 7, the stems 81 are in transverse registration with their respective openings 21 and 28 so that the balls 29 are fully retracted and lie within the peripheral surface of the mandrel 25.

y The stems 31, forming the bottoms of the ball sockets, are proportioned in diameter to hold the balls 29, when retracted, substantially flush with the outer surface of the mandrel and with the balls 29 remaining sumciently in the openings 21 and 28 to guide the balls outwardly when acted upon by the cams 35. A comparison of Figures '1 and 9 shows that by screwinglhe core pin 30 into the mandrel 25 the cams 35 are advanced beneath the balls 29 and force the latter outwardly in the openings 21 and 28. The force exerted upon the balls 29ldepends upon the pitch of the threads 32 and the length or angle of the cones 35. Means is provided for yieldingly retaining the balls 29 in their sockets when retracted so that the balls cannot be lost or fall out of the tool, even when dropped and roughly handled. This means comprises an annular groove 38 in the inner Wall of the mandrel 25 for each pair of openings 21 and 28.

As shown clearly in Figures 7, 8, 11 and 12, the4 groove 38 has a bottom Wall which is inclined transversely of the groove so that one side of the groove is deeper than the other side. 'I'he deeper side of the groove 38 has an abrupt shoulder side wall 39 and intersects one side of. the adjacent opening 21, or 28. In each groove 38 is sprung a split spring ring 40 bearing against the inclinedV bottom Wall of the groove and 4deiected thereby against the Ashoulder wall 39 and across the sides of the opening 21, or 28.k Preferably, the annular grooves 38 are disposed across the sides of the openings 21 and 28, nearer the nut or head 26 of the mandrel, or at the sides of the openings 21 and 28 which are out of the line of thrust of the balls 29 when projected by the cams 35.

Normally, portions of the spring rings 40 are exposed in the sides of. the socket openings 21 and 28 and bear against the adjacent portions of the balls 29. When the balls 29 are retracted, as shown in Figure 7, thesprings 40 engage the balls 29 outwardly of their largest diameter portions and retain the balls 29 in their seats and from accidental dislodgement from the mandrel. y

The depth of the ball sockets and the position of the springs 40 relative to the diameter of the balls 29 is such that the balls may be projected to an appreciable extent before the largest diameter portion of the balls pass the springs 48 and the latter cease to perform their ball retaining function. When the expander tool is in position in the tube or other Work, the tube holds the balls 29 from springing out of. the sock# ets, and the tube serves to force the balls 29 back in their sockets when the cams are shifted and the tool withdrawn from the tube.

As shown in Figure 12, the shallow side of the groove 38 may have a narrow shoulder wall 4I extendingA from the adjacent side of the inclined bottom wall opposite to the stop shoulder wall 39. This assists in maintaining the spring ring 48 in the groove during assembling and handling of the tool.

While this expander tool is adapted to various types of tubes and nipples for expanding one or more annular beads therein, Figures 1 to 4 illustrate the tool as applied to one form of the hose coupling for securing the end of a hose 42 in the coupling member.

55. As shown in Figure 1, thel expander tool is adjusted with the balls 29 retracted and ready for insertion in the hose coupling.l The coupling illustrated comprises a nut 43 shouldered at one 0 end and having a nipple 44. The tool is inserted in the coupling as shown in Figure 2. The nut head 26 of the mandrel limits the insertion of the Y mandrel and determines the locations of the beads to be expanded. n i i The nut head 26 is held stationary and the core pin 39 is turned up in the mandrel as shown in Figure 4. The core pin 30 is advanced carried on until annular beads 45 of the desired height are expanded in-the wall of the nipple 44. These beads 45 press into the inner wall of the hose 42 and securely anchor and seal the coupllng.

AAfter the beads 45 have beenl formedthe coreA Y pin 38 is turned backwardly to release rthe balls 29, and the sides of. the beads 45retract the balls in their sockets as the mandrel 25 is withdrawn from the coupling so that Vthe springs 40' may then act to retain the balls from failing out of the mandrel.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tube expander, a mandrel having a socket opening in its side and adapted for insertion in a tube, a ball seated in the opening,l means for advancing the ball outwardlyin the opening for expanding the tube, vand a circumferential spring seated in the interior surface Walll of the mandrel across one side of the opening thereofV and engaging the side of the ball to yieldingly ball is retracted.

2. In a tube expander, a mandrel laving a socket opening in its side and adapted for insertion in a tube, a ball seated in the opening, means for advancing the ball outwardly in the opening for expanding the tube, said mandrel having an annular groove in its inner wall intersecting one side of the socket opening and having a cam portion 'inclined toward said opening, and. a spring sprung into said groove against said cam portion and urged theball to retain the saine in the socket opening when the ball is retracted.

3.- An expander fortubes and hose couplings, comprising a mandrel for insertion lnt the tube,

a core pin movable 'in the mandrel, means iorl axially shifting the 'pin in the mandrel, said mandrel havingv an opening through the side wall thereof and said core pin having a cam por-` tion adapted to register with saidopeningin the mandrel, a ball seated on said cam portion and lying in said opening and adapted to be projected therethrough upon the shifting of said core pin`v having an annular in the mandrel, said mandrel groove in its-inner Wall intersecting one side of the opening, and a spring sprungkinto said groove in the inner wall of the mandrel and extending across the side of the opening for yieldingly en-Y thereof and said core pin having a'camportion thereby against one side of adapted to register with said opening in the mandrel, a ball seated on said cam portion and lying in said opening and adapted to be projected therethrough upon the shifting of said core pin in the mandrel, said mandrel having an annular groove in its inner wall intersecting at one side said opening at the side thereof and having its bottom face inclined backwardly from the opening and having a shoulder at .said opening intersecting side, and a spring ring sprung into said groove and normally urged by said inclined face toward the shoulder and against the ball in the opening.

5. An expander for tubes and hose couplings, comprising a mandrel for insertion into the tube, a core pin movable in the mandrel, means for axially shifting the pin in the mandrel, said mandrel having an opening through the side wall thereof and said core pin having a cam portion adapted to register with said opening in the mandrel, a ball seated on said cam portion and lying in said opening and adapted 'to be projected therethrough upon the shifting of said core pin in the mandrel, said mandrel having below its outer surface a groove with an inclined bottom wall and a shoulder side wall at the deeper side of the groove, said groove intersecting at its deeper side one side of the opening, and a retaining element sprung into the groove against said inclined bottom vWall and deflected thereby toward said shouldered Wall and against the ball in the mandrel opening to .retain the ball therein.

ALBERT J SCHOLTES, 

